Work to install separated bike lanes near intersection of Mt. Auburn Street & Aberdeen Avenue begins soon

The City of Cambridge will begin work to install safety improvements on Mt. Auburn Street between Brattle Street and Belmont Street soon. The changes, part of the Mt. Auburn Street at Aberdeen Avenue Intersection Safety Improvement Project, will add a two-way separated bike lane, extend the shared bus-bike lane by about 500 feet, and add turn-only lanes for vehicles. This work is tentatively scheduled to begin the week of April 22.

Upcoming Work

Pavement marking work is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 22. This work is weather dependent. For updates on the installation schedule, sign up for email updates or check the project website.

Pavement marking work will occur overnight, beginning at 8 p.m., and will take about two to three nights. After initial markings are installed, additional work will take place during the daytime. This will include red bus lane markings and sidewalk repair work.

No parking impacts or traffic detours are expected, but temporary lane closures may occur. Slow down for work crews and keep an eye out for posted signage while work is underway.

About the Project

The Mt. Auburn Street at Aberdeen Avenue Intersection Safety Improvement Project will improve safety and mobility for everyone on the street, whether they're walking, biking, driving, or riding buses.

Project Plans

Below, see an overhead view of what the street will look like. Click here to see the engineering plans.

There will be no parking/loading changes made as part of this project.

Already installed: Traffic signal updates

Over the course of February and March, the City's traffic signal contractor, Dagle Electrical Construction, installed new traffic signal equipment on Mt. Auburn Street. This included:

• Overhead signals at Aberdeen Avenue at Mt. Auburn Street. The new signal includes a dedicated left turn signal onto Aberdeen Avenue, improving clarity and driver compliance with existing traffic regulations.
• Additional signals, including bike signals, that are needed for the separated bike lane. These are installed but not yet in operation.

Coming Soon: Bus Lane Extension

We will improve bus reliability by extending the existing eastbound shared bus-bike lane by about 500 feet, to the Homer Avenue bus stop.

Coming Soon: Traffic Flow Changes

• At the Mt. Auburn Street/Aberdeen Avenue intersection, there will be a new right turn-only lane.
• At the Mt. Auburn Street/Homer Avenue intersection:
  • We will add a dedicated left turn lane onto Homer Avenue. The dedicated turn lane allows drivers to continue straight without having to change lanes.
  • Left turns from Mt. Auburn Street will access the shopping center by turning into Homer Avenue.
• We will reduce the westbound general travel lane (toward Belmont/Watertown) from two lanes to one. By adding turn lanes and making changes to signal timing, we're able to do this with minimal changes to travel times.

Coming Soon: Improvements to Bike Facilities

We will improve bike facilities with a combination of quick-build separated bike lanes, shared bus/bike lanes, and standard bike lanes:

• Between Homer Avenue and Aberdeen Avenue, we will extend the Brattle Street two-way separated bike lane on the north side of the street. Bike lanes will be separated from vehicle lanes with white flex posts. This is an upgrade from no bike facilities today.
• Between Belmont Street and Homer Avenue (eastbound, toward Harvard), we will extend the shared bus/bike lane. This is an upgrade from having no bike accommodation today.
• Between Homer Avenue and Belmont Street (westbound, toward Belmont/Watertown), we will keep the standard bike lane that is there today.

Learn More

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